This weekend Combe Martin SAC presents the Lyn Fish sponsored by Sakuma Tackle and https://www.ardosiaslate.co.uk/
Time for bass and mullet
John Shapland landed this fine thick lip of 4lb 4oz on a recent trip. The next couple of months are without doubt my favourite time to get out fishing with a wealth of fish to target. Bass and mullet have to be close top of the wanted list and reports would indicate that there are a few about.
2 BITES TODAY!!! Johns exciting report.
“first pulled the tip around hard and kept on going took the rod from the rest and into the water!!! time I got to it I lifted into nothing!!! heart beating like mad and shaking like a leaf, rebaited and re-cast then bang!!! tip right around and fish on!! followed the fish down stream but my landing net was miles away by now, a great scrap ensued with some awesome runs. I managed to beach her on the shallows and carried back to the landing net for a rest then release and weighed in at 4lb 2 oz
most happy with this old warrior.”
Rob Scoines enjoyed a session at a local rock mark ctaching several bass to 4lb 2oz and a small bull huss.
Lynmouth Fishing Competition
Combe Martin SAC Fun FIsh 2018
Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs annual fun fishing event on Ilfracombe Pier always brings plenty of smiles and this year was no exception. The title of the event explains what the day is all about nothing too serious just a few hours fishing with the chance to meet fellow anglers and special guests. The event focuses on young anglers so the competition is geared towards under 16’s accompanied by a responsible adult.
This years guests included Dominic Garnett who writes a regular column for the Angling Times and works with the Angling Trust to promote angling. https://dgfishing.co.uk/
(Above) Dominick Garnett gets involved coaching young anglers
Steve Dawe is an all round angler who has a particular interest in species fishing and is raising funds for the Stroke Association.
In January last year he started a fund raising challenge to catch 52 species of fish in a year and has surpassed this already landing his 64th species during this years event, a rock goby.(Below)
(Below)The Coastguard raised awareness of the need to take care at the waters edge offering advice to all who attended.
(Below)Ilfracombe Aquarium were at hand to identify any rare species caught and also hope to obtain specimens for the aquarium.
http://ilfracombeaquarium.co.uk/
High Street Tackle kindly sponsored the event with an array of prizes presented to the winners.
Fun Fish rules were – To reduce tangles CMSAC suggested 1 rod with 3 hooks, Barbless hooks preferred but not compulsory.
The top prizes were for the anglers under the age of 16 with the most points.
Points awarded: – 2 points first of each species, 1 point for second of each species.
Prize for longest fish – Lyn Wilson garfish – 57cm
Prize for heaviest fish – Lyn Wilson – garfish 9oz
Family prize for most points – A Family Ticket for Ilfracombe Aquarium -The Welch family with 51 points
Ross Stanway won the adults section with 16 points and was presented with a signed copy of Dominick Garnetts book Crooked Lines
Winner of the event eight year old Effie Welch (14 points) received an LRF rod, reel and line
2nd – Charlie Stanway 11 points
3rd – Solomon Welch 9 points
4th – Ben Clarke 8 points Joshua Jeffery 8 points
5th – Phoebe Dawe – 5 points Jordan Choules 5 points
This years event was once again a success with a really friendly atmosphere and plenty of fish caught to give the young participants encouragement. One of the events main targets is to introduce young people to a pastime that can provide a lifelong interaction with the environment as Dominick said to me if we recruit one young person into a life of fishing we have been successful.
The below pictures give a view of the event that is made successful by those who take part.
Big Bass in the dark
Danny Watson of High Sreet Tackle Ilfracombe has taken the lead in Combe Martin SAC’s Lure Fishing Competition landing a fine bass of 70cm.
The fish was also weighed before being returned and scaled 8lb 9oz.
Danny has kindly agreed to award the prize of an HTO Nebula Lure Rod to the runner up in the competition if he wins as High Street Tackle are sponsoring the competition. So there’s a challenge to club members get out there and claim the top spot and save Danny the embarrassment of winning his own competition!!!
Congratulations go to Danny and Ross in getting out there after dark and having the confidence to cast a lure its something I have been intending to do for ages.
Danny story below :-
Absolutely bloody buzzing man! Got a message from fellow club member Ross Stanway – ” Did I fancy a quick lure session in the dark,” was hardly going to say no was I? He quickly got into a fish of about 2lb, we were pleased. Then about half an hour later all hell broke loose and I was into this beast! My second night time lure bass – measured 70cm and weighed 8lb 9oz! It went like a steam train taking line like mad – it was absolutely mental. Lots of people know I have banged on about doing this for ages – now I have and believe me it is pretty mad. I did not expect something like this! I can’t stop grinning!!!
The fish was tempted on a white do live stick – High Street Tackle sell Laggin Dragons which are very similar.
Lynmouth Open Competition Result
The Lynmouth Open Competition was a week long event suggested by Lynton angler James Gubb Fradgley to run in conjunction with the Lynmouth Regatta and Maritime Festival. Promoted by North Devon Angling News and Combe Martin SAC the first three prizes were cash prizes of £100, £50 and £25. The proceeds were to be shared between Combe Martin SAC, Lynmouth Sailing Club and Lynton Primary School.
The presentation was held at The Ancient Mariner at Lynmouth where large crowds had assembled to celebrate with a party atmosphere prevailing as live music drifted across the harbour.
The winning angler was Daniel Welch who caught a boat caught tope of 38lb 2oz, grey mullet of 4lb 7oz and a spotted ray of 4lb 8oz. (296%)
In runner up spot was James Gubb Fradgley who caught a tope of 37lb 2oz, bull huss of 9lb 10oz and a small eyed ray of 9lb 10oz. (260%)
Very close behind in third place was Ross Stanway who caught a tope from the shore of 35lb 7oz, a bull huss of 8lb 10oz and a dogfish of 2lb 5oz. (259%)
The prize for the best specimen of the week went to Ross Stanway for his shore caught tope of 35lb 7oz.
A raffle was held at the presentation that boosted funds raised for the Lynmouth Sailing Club and Lyntom Primary School. Many thanks to the Ancient Mariner for hosting the weigh in.
Combe Martin SAC plan to repeat the competition next year encouraged by the enthusiasm of competitors. It is to be hoped that sponsors can be found to boost the prize table.
Lynmouth Open Fishing Competition
There is still time to enter with a top prize of £100 Cash
Leader Board –
Dan Welch – pollock 8lb, spotted ray 4lb 8oz, smoothound 12lb 4oz all boat caught – 238.334%
Ross Stanway – dogfish 2lb 5oz, bull huss 8lb 10oz, smoothound 7lb 8oz all boat caught – 190.72%
John Shapland – thin lipped mullet 3lb 10oz – 103.571%
James Gubg Fradgley – tope 31lb – 77.5%
Big huss for Dave Brooke
Combe Martin SAC member Dave Brooke landed this fine11lb 11oz bull huss on a trip to a local rock mark.
Smoothound Sport Continues
Ali Laird landed this fine smoothound of 12lb 6oz from a North Devon Rock Mark.
Putsborough Open 2018 Report
Combe Martin Sea Angling Clubs annual Putsborough Open has become a popular date on the local angling calendar and this years event attracted 49 competitors from all over the West Country. Once again the club were lucky to have good conditions with heavy rain that fell in some areas of North Devon skirting the beach. A heavy swell that pleased the surfers before darkness fell made fishing a little challenging at times but did not seem to deter the fish from feeding.
Each year it is good to see familiar faces on the beach and several commented to me that it was great to be there on such a night and to catch a fish would surely be a bonus. The fishing proved to be productive for some with small eyed ray, bass, smoothound, turbot and dogfish caught from all along the beach. No exceptional specimens were caught this year to match previous catches that have included double figure small eyed ray, tope to over forty pounds, blonde ray to over 10lb and huss and conger into double figures.
The winner of this years competition was Ross Stanway with a dogfish of 2lb one of several he landed that also won him the pool for the best brace with his second dogfish weighing 1lb 14.5oz.
The event was generously sponsored by Sakuma and Ilfracombe High Street Tackle enabling the top twelve anglers to walk away with a fine array of tackle in addition to the £100 first prize and £50 second prize in cash.
The top twelve were :-
1st – Ross Stanway – dogfish 2lb
2nd – Andrew Atkinson – small eyed ray – 6lb 10oz
3rd – Ross Stanway – dogfish 1lb 14.5oz
4th – Julian Druce – bass 5lb 1oz
5th – Gary Andrew – small eyed ray – 6lb 1oz
6th – 7th Dan Welch & Ross Stanway – dogfish 1lb 13oz
8th – 9th – Gareth Pike & Andrew Clements – dogfish 1lb 12oz
10th Joe Toop – small eyed ray – 5lb 11oz
11th – 12th Colin Emery & John Stanway – dogfish 1lb 11oz
The club would like to thank the owners of Putsborough beach for allowing us to hold the event and I would like to thank all those who made the effort to come and fish many traveling a good distance to be there. A special thanks to all who have sent me pictures of the event including the stunning image of two anglers admiring the setting sun taken by Callum Gove.
